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Gay Man Who Sued Kevin Clash Attacked in NYC Hate Crime

New York City detectives have arrested five men—ranging in age from 16 to 21-years-old—who allegedly shouted anti-gay slurs at a young gay man as they beat him outside Brooklyn's Prospect Park. The alleged victim is 25-year-old Kevin Kiadii, a makeup artist and one of at least four young men who have sued former Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash for sexual abuse, reports the New York Daily News and the New York Post.

Police arrested five men who they say screamed anti-gay slurs as they beat Kevin Kiadii, 25, outside Prospect Park in Brooklyn Wednesday night, sources said. ... Kiadii told police that he was on Empire Blvd. near Flatbush Ave. at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday when he spotted four drunken men carrying another man out of the park. When he offered the wobbly stranger his pineapple soda, the suspects pounced.

"When I offered (my soda) one of them started yelling, 'Get the f--- out of here you f---ing f----t! I’ll f--- you up.'" Kiadii said he sprayed his assailants with perfume. Kiadii ended up wrestling with his attackers as he tried to fight them off, receiving a bruised finger and some scratches.

Police were nearby and responded. The suspects each were charged with gang assault and aggravated harassment as a hate crime, adds CBS 2.

The brutal gay-bashing becomes only the latest in a troubling trend in the nation's largest city. So far this year, there have been at least 30 reported gay bias attacks in the New York City, "more than double for the same period last year." They are likely more incidents that have not been reported to authorities.

Kevin Kiadii is one of at least four men who have filed federal lawsuits charging that the 52-year-old Kevin Clash had sex with them when they were underage. Kiadii's lawsuit claims that Clash "trolled gay telephone chat-line rooms to meet and have sex with underage boys." Kiadii says that he was only 16-years-old when he and Clash had sex.

Clash's November 20 2012 resignation from Sesame Street was in response to a second accuser who also filed a federal lawsuit in New York City. Cecil Singleton alleges that he was only 15-years-old when Clash began their sexual relationship almost a decade ago.

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Hot 97 DJ Mister Cee: "If I Choose Not to Come Out, That's My Choice"

New York City's popular HOT 97 DJ Mister Cee went on the air this morning to address his latest arrest for soliciting a male prostitute, which happened Thursday night in Brooklyn. The prostitute turned out to be an undercover police officer.

Cee now claims that the undercover officer was a woman and not a man. The deejay insists he "is not gay" but if he "choose not to come out" that would be his business, reports MTV. The deejay claims that he has "suspended himself" and will be off the air for an undisclosed period.

According to Cee, who was born Calvin Lebrun, before the arrest he was approached by an undercover female police officer when he pulled his car over in Brooklyn to make a phone call. The female offered up sex, which he denied, but Cee says he was the victim of a "sting operation." "They tried to turn it around and say the female officer was a male officer. It was a sting operation," he maintained, again refuting the gay rumors.

Things began getting a little heated when Darden casted doubt and said that Cee was using "code talk." "Let's say if I'm lying, that's my choice," Cee proposed, after a Hot 97 DJ began to play Aly-Us' "Follow Me," a '90s dance record often associated with the gay club community. "If I'm lying and I chose not to come out, that's my choice."

This is not the first time Mister Cee has been implicated with rentboys. The radio personality and producer was arrested for public lewdness in April 2011 after cops "caught him in a car receiving oral sex from another man." The deejay was also previously arrested for loitering for the purpose of prostitution.

"Cee admitted that he does regularly engage in soliciting female prostitutes and paying strippers for sex," added AllHipHop. "But reinforced that he does not seek out men or" transgender women.

Cee had his first major break in hip-hop as Big Daddy Kane’s deejay. He produced Notorious B.I.G.’s first album Ready to Die.

Mister Cee earned Power 105's "Donkey of the Day" this morning. "Come out the closet and stop trolling for trade on the streets like this is the 1970s," said Charlamagne Tha God. "This is 2013. All you need is a boyfriend and an apartment."

Good point. But would hip-hop welcome openly gay deejays, producers and artists?

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REPORT: Hot 97 DJ Charged with Soliciting Male Prostitute

New York City's popular HOT 97 DJ Mister Cee will reportedly join that station's breakfast show on Monday to address his latest arrest for soliciting a male prostitute, reports AllHipHop.com.

This after the radio personality, disc jockey and producer was arrested Thursday night for soliciting a male prostitute, reports the New York Daily News.

Cee, 46, whose real name is Calvin LeBrun, didn’t know that the gigolo he approached at Madison St. and Broadway in Bushwick just before midnight on Thursday was really an undercover cop, the sources said. The music man — who emerged into the hip-hop world as Big Daddy Kane’s deejay and later produced Notorious B.I.G.’s first album, “Ready to Die” — was charged with patronizing a prostitute. He was waiting to be arraigned on Saturday.

This is not the first time that Cee has been implicated with rentboys, the Daily News reported in April 2011.

Mister Cee was busted for public lewdness after cops caught him in a car receiving oral sex from another man. ... Cee and a male companion ... were in a car parked at Watts and West Sts. and "the defendants' behavior was open to public view,'' the criminal complaint said.

A police source said Cee was busted in lower Manhattan last Oct. 8 and Nov. 20, both times for loitering for the purpose of prostitution. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after the October arrest. Charges in the November case appear to have been dropped.

Cee plead guilty in the 2011 case.

Hot 97 Program Director Ebro Darden has defended Mister Cee on Twitter. "Preference is not the crime. Solicitation is the crime. I never want Mister Cee fired," Darden tweeted.

AllHipHop.com notes that station management—which initially disputed the 2011 case—is being hypocritical and offering Cee celebrity justice. "My thoughts: If Cee was a regular dude, he’d have lost his job."

What a week: A closeted rap/hip-hop personality is busted "on the hoe stroll" only days after an NBA player comes out and makes history. To be continued ...

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VIDEO: SWERV Launches "Ballroom Couture" Issue at Splash NYC

Last week we previewed the brilliant cover of SWERV's Spring 2013 issue. The "Ballroom Couture" editorial was lensed by celebrity and fashion photographer deluxe Mike Ruiz. The issue features the "legends and icons" of New York City's past, present and future ballroom community.

The launch party was held last Thursday at Splash NYC. The attendees included the Legendary Rayceen Pendavis—who is on the cover—the Legendary Leiomy Prodigy, SWERV Publisher Jamil Fletcher, Demarco Majors, Roxxy Evisu, No Shade's David Brandyn, fashion designer Marco Hall, DBQ Publisher David Bridgeforth and many others. Watch the red carpet fabulousity, one more look at cover and the behind-the-scenes video WHEN YOU JUMP ...

VIDEO: Mike Ruiz's "Ballroom Couture" Cover for SWERV

PHOTO: MIKE RUIZ for SWERV

Your first look at the brilliant cover of SWERV's Spring 2013 issue. The cover editorial was lensed by celebrity and fashion photographer deluxe Mike Ruiz. The "Ballroom Couture" issue features the "legends and icons" of New York City's past, present and future ballroom community—Tracy Africa, Rayceen Pendavis, Leiomy Prodigy, Roxxy Evisu, David Ultima-Xtravaganza and Robbie St. Laurent.

Watch behind-the-scenes video of the making of the cover WHEN YOU JUMP ...

"We do our best to share the stories of the extraordinary people in our community that are often ignored by both Black and mainstream LGBT media," says SWERV Publisher Jamil Fletcher. "Our current issue spotlights the New York City ballroom and it’s influence [on] popular culture. It is such a great honor to bring these stories of the Ballroom icons and legends to our readers."

Perfect "tens" across the board for the feature. Go behind-the-scenes video for the making of the editorial AFTER THE JUMP ...

NYS Sen. Malcolm Smith Charged in Scheme to Fix Election

Very disappointing news from New York City. Democratic New York State Sen. Malcolm Smith has been arrested and charged in a federal corruption case, report the New York Times and the Daily News. Smith became the state's first Black Senate Majority Leader and President in January 2009.

Smith, Republican NYC Councilman Daniel Halloran (Queens) and four others have been charged with trying to fix the 2013 mayoral election by buying Smith a spot on the Republican ballot. The others suspects include the Bronx Republican Chairman and Queens Republican vice chairman.

Mr. Smith, according to the complaint, agreed with a cooperating witness and an undercover F.B.I. agent, who was masquerading as a wealthy real estate developer, to pay off leaders of Republican county committees in New York’s five boroughs. The bribes were to be paid to obtain specific certificates authorizing him to run for mayor as a Republican even though he was a registered Democrat. The undercover agent and the cooperating witness served as intermediaries between the senator and Mr. Halloran, the complaint said. ...

Smith became the state's first Black Senate Majority Leader in 2009. This was after the Democrats took control of the chamber after 40 years in the minority. Smith managed a narrow, two-vote victory to become Senate majority leader after one member of his caucus, the rabidly anti-gay Reverend Ruben Diaz of the Bronx, threatened to jump ship because of his well-publicized opposition to gays and marriage equality.

Some gay activists accused Smith of delaying a marriage vote—even though he had publicized his support and attended fundraisers—but he maintained that the bill would only reach the floor when he had sufficient votes for passage. Smith was removed as majority leader in a June 2009 coup.

The vote failed spectacularly when the Senate took it up for the first time in December 2009. The vote was 38-24, with 8 Democrats joining the entire GOP caucus to oppose the bill.

The New York Senate later passed the historic marriage equality bill on June 24 2011 by a 33-29 vote. The lone Democratic holdout: Ruben Diaz Sr., the rabidly anti-gay Bronx Democratic Pentecostal pastor who has a  lesbian granddaughter.

VIDEO: NYC's Rev. Calvin Butts: Marriage Equality is "the Freedom That God Has Given You"

The Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts for the win. The influential pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City's Harlem noted that his denomination did not support marriage equality ... but he delivered a passionate defense of equal rights for all Americans.

"It’s something that we don’t believe in, in terms of what we have learned from the Bible," Rev. Butts told ABC’s George Stephanopolous on This Week. "But in terms of men and women having their rights as citizens and human beings, we certainly affirm that."

The pastor and civil rights leader added: "You should have every right as a citizen of this nation and every right as a human being to enjoy the freedom that God has given you. The choice is yours. And I should not stand in the way of you making that choice."

Butts called on the Supreme Court to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8. The court heard historic oral arguments on two federal challenges last week. Decisions are expected in June.

Abyssinian Baptist Church was previously headed by Adam Clayton Powell Sr and Adam Clayton Powell Jr..

Rev. Dr. Butts did not endorse President Obama's historic affirmation for equal marriage in May 2012. But at that time, the pastor "denounced those who are ready to 'watch others be discriminated against, marginalized, and literally hated in the name of God,'" reported CNN's Belief Blog.

Via Raw Story, watch the clip AFTER THE JUMP ...

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. for Marriage Equality

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr—who has previously supported gay rights—released a moving statement in support of equality.

Diaz Jr. was elected borough president in April 2009 and previously served in the New York State Assembly. Diaz Jr. is the son of Ruben Diaz Sr, the rabidly anti-gay New York state senator and Pentecostal minister. Diaz Sr. was the only Democrat in the Senate to oppose the mariage equality law passed in June 2011.

After considerable deliberation and introspection, I support marriage equality. My decision, which comes after years of thought and reflection on the issue, is informed by the experiences I have had with close friends, family and loved ones.

For example, my chief-of-staff, Paul Del Duca, has for decades worked to help the people of this City. He has helped people find housing and jobs, he has dedicated his professional life to assisting those in need. Why, then, should he and his partner Damion—whose wedding I stood witness to—be denied the same rights of any other loving and committed couple? Moreover, why should my niece, Erica Diaz, be denied the ability to get married when her time comes?

Borough President Diaz Jr. also called on the Supreme Court to strike down Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act.  DOMA  Section Three prohibits federal recognition of legallly married same-sex couples and denies all federal benefits, such as Social Security, penion benefits, prefential tax treatment and health care. The justices heard oral arguments on Section Three today. 

NYS Sen. and Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr. took to the streets of the Bronx in May 2011 to lead a march and rally against the state's proposed marriage law. That attracted only about 1,000 people—a far cry from the 10,000 strong May 2009 anti-gay march that Diaz organized on the streets of Manhattan.

The counter-protesters at the 2011 rally included member's of Diaz's own family—Erica Diaz, the then-22-year-old openly lesbian granddaughter who was discharged from the Navy under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." In addition to his granddaughter, Diaz Sr. also has two gay brothers.

Thanks Andres Duqué!

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NYC Health Officials Warn Gay Men of Deadly Meningitis Outbreak

VERY IMPORTANT: The New York City Department of Health is urging all gay men in the city "regardless of HIV status, who regularly have intimate contact with other men through a Web site, digital application or at a bar or party," to get vaccinated against a deadly strain of bacterial meningitis, reports the New York Times.

Although the first recorded case of this "absolutely terrifying" meningitis outbreak was first noted in August 2010, authorities made their first public announcement only six months ago. The new strain kills "one out of three people instead of the [usual] one out of five." This strain is particularly lethal among those who are HIV positive because their immune systems are already compromised.

New York City health officials are growing increasingly worried that this strain of meningitis, which is an inflammation of the lining around the brain and the spinal cord, is so insidious that it could suddenly mushroom into a major outbreak, claiming many lives before anything can be done to stop it.

The department issued a warning this month recommending the standard meningitis vaccination for a particular subset of the population: "men, regardless of H.I.V. status, who regularly have intimate contact with other men through a Web site, digital application or at a bar or party."

There have been 22 cases, all among men, of the unique strain since 2010, 13 of them last year and 4 this year, [Dr. Jay Varma, the deputy commissioner for disease control] said. Seven of them have died. Twelve were H.I.V.-positive, a possible risk factor. Ten of the cases were in Brooklyn.

This is VERY important:

Many of men who are at risk may not identify themselves as either gay or bisexual, even though they are having sex with other men, health officials said. So it is hard to reach out to them through gay organizations, and it is hard to get them to come forward to be vaccinated.

There is a vaccine that is effective against the new strain. Find a clinic near you.

NYPD Officers Who Killed Teen Have Been Targets of 5 Federal Lawsuits

PHOTO: AP

The New York Police Department officers who fatally shot 16-year-old Kimani Gray in Brooklyn on March 9 have been sued numerous times for civil rights violations from stop-and-frisk claims in recent years, reports the New York Daily News.

The NYPD sergeant and cop involved in the fatal shooting of Brooklyn 16-year-old Kimani Gray have been named in five federal lawsuits — which cost the city a total of $215,000 in settlements, court records show. Sgt. Mourad Mourad racked up three suits and Officer Jovaniel Cordova racked up two — all alleging various civil rights violations including illegal stop and search and false arrest. Prosecutors later dismissed all but one of the arrests against the six plaintiffs, and the criminal cases were sealed.

The allegations against Mourad include "pulling down" a suspect's underwear. Cordova has also been accused of "punch[ing]" a suspect in the face.

"Our clients’ interactions with Sgt. Mourad and Officer Cordova expose a disturbing pattern of unconstitutional and aggressive stop-and-frisk practices," attorney Brett Klein told the Daily News. "In each case, Mourad and Cordova attempted to cover up their misconduct by falsifying and fabricating evidence."

Protests have escalated after it was revealed the teen was shot in the back three times. Police officers claim thay Gray  "adjusted his waistband in ...  a 'suspicious manner'" and brandished a revolver before they opened fired. At least two eyewitness claim that Gray did NOT have a weapon. A woman who witnessed the shooting was she's "certain" that Gray "didn't having anything in his hands," reports the Daily News.

Kimani Gray's final words were a plea for help. "Please don’t let me die," another neighbor heard him say as he lay bleeding on the pavement. "One of the officers, she said, replied: 'Stay down, or we’ll shoot you again.'"

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